Balance Problems with Both Ears

[digby]

Hello:  I am having neuroma surgery on Friday and just learned that I have a 19% weakness in the other ear.  Having the balance nerve cut during the surgery and the weakness in the other ear has raised questions about my balance problems in the future. Have any of you experienced this and what problems have you had?

[er]

Hello digby

    Good luck on your surgery Friday. My prayers are with you. No I have not experienced I hope your questions are answered. I was told I would have 40% chance. But I am ssd.
eve

[Raven]

I have non stop balance problems, they started about 6 weeks prior to my surgeries (yes, two surgeries). My left side balance nerve was cut when the tumor was removed, typical of middle fossa. I still have a AN on the right side after bone decompression but the balance nerve was not severed. My balance is actually worse now then before the surgeries. It seems anytime I'm moving things in the background are bouncing, I feel woozy all the time as well..............my Dr. said it will not get much better. This has led to some depression and nothing seems enjoyable anymore.

Good luck with your surgery, you should be fine.

John

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

John

RE quoting you
  “This has led to some depression and nothing seems enjoyable anymore.â€? 

BIG HUG to you!

Has you doctor referred you to vestibular therapist? I am a strong believer that this is very effective.

Please read this old post of mine
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=5584.0

I was dealing with physicians (NOT my original surgeon and his wonderful team) for follow up back in my home state -who were not on the same page as me and referring me to physical therapy …as I was requesting. Perhaps if they saw this photo and videos I sent to my surgeon - I think they might now  be on the same page. (I was out to prove a point. )   I down loaded exercises from the net, conversed with people on the forum here – did a self imposed rigorous program … and now I am much better.  

Know that being physically inactive can lead to depression.

There is much evidence that exercise can be very helpful in easing depression symptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression-and-exercise/MH00043
http://www.psychologymatters.org/exercise.html


Digby,

Immediate after surgery my balance was awful and I could barely even walk with a walker. Now I am bike riding… and I even got up in front of some kids and tried the hoola-hoop in a school gymnasium sock hop. (I was not near as good as the school age girls at keeping the hoop around my hips- but hey I did not get dizzy and fall over!) I could not do that -8 months ago.

I had to work at this (very hard!)

See this video.
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/286-mixed_feelings_.html

The “vestibular� portion is in the last 1/3 of the clip.


(This video just makes me want to Hug all those computer GEEKS.  BTW GEEK is positive word...an acronym for Good Electrical Engineer Keener.)


The brain, I believe, is very plastic. You CAN rehabilitate- but you have to be willing to work at it. Things can go even smoother with the support of a good qualified vestibular physical therapist.



What is vestibular therapy?
http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/treatment/vestibular-rehab.php

http://www.american-hearing.org/treatment/rehab.html



John and Digby,


Try to surround yourself with good supportive people.  If this balance thing is getting to you- talk to your physician and see if you can get a referral to vestibular physical therapist. You will also find the PT’s offer good moral support too. Too many physicians just want to write a prescription – instead of dealing with the root issues. Good physicians understand the "team approach" and getting patients good follow up help (post surgery.)

Group HUG,

Daisy Head Mazy

[er]

I have non stop balance problems, they started about 6 weeks prior to my surgeries (yes, two surgeries). My left side balance nerve was cut when the tumor was removed, typical of middle fossa. I still have a AN on the right side after bone decompression but the balance nerve was not severed. My balance is actually worse now then before the surgeries. It seems anytime I'm moving things in the background are bouncing, I feel woozy all the time as well..............my Dr. said it will not get much better. This has led to some depression and nothing seems enjoyable anymore.

Good luck with your surgery, you should be fine.

John

Raven,
I am so sorry to hear about your non stop balance problem. And two AN’s I don’t know if I could coup with that.
What are they going to do with your other AN?
I bow my head now and said a prayer for you.  I hope things change for the best.
eve

[Raven]

4CM,

My Dr. did mention vestibular therapy, I told him I would tough it out and see were I am on my next scheduled visit (in July). I'm pretty active and can do just about anything, it is just the woozy yucky feeling all the time. I wake up and think, I will feel better tomorrow, the next day I wake up and think I will feel better tomorrow, tomorrow never comes. Couple that with a kinda stressfull job and it makes the day to day somewhat unenjoyable, most evenings and weekends I'm fine, but not as good as before my surgeries.

Eve,

Since I'm totally deaf in the left ear, tumor removal for the right side could leave me deaf in both ears, so surgery is out of the question. So it will be MRIs the rest of my life and if the tumor grows my Dr. recommended radiation. Even though I can't hear out of my left ear, what was left of the hearing nerve was preserved, so I'm a canidate for a cochlear implant. SSD is not that bad, so unless my good / right side goes south I won't need it.

Everyone..........don't get me wrong, I came out of back to back surgeries eight days apart with zero facial issues and very good hearing in one ear. I'm used to the constant tinnitus now (in both ears) and I'm totally back to full strength six months post OP, I couldn't be happier with my outcome (other then the balance problem)....................I don't even think about the tumors on my spine anymore!!

John

[sgerrard]

Digby,

Best wishes for your surgery tomorrow, I hope it goes well and you have a quick and gentle recovery.

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Good luck, Digby 

Let us know how things went once you feel up to posting.

Jan